Washington Irving

2. BENGALURU NORTH UNIVERSITY
PG CENTER , MANGASADRA
Subject : American Literature
Topic : review irving as a pioneer American short story
writer
under the guidance
of :
Hema kumari
m
Dept. of
Submitted : Akshatha N
: MA 1st Year
: Dept, of English
PH NO : 7337688027
Email ID :
akshathann9@gmail.com

3. WASHINGTON IRVING
(1783-1859)
American first professional
writer

4. WASHINGTON IRVING
Born : 03 April 1783
Place : New York US
Died : 28 November 1859 Tarrytown, New York
He was also called “ American Man Of Letters”

5. Best Known for his “Short Stories”
Notable Words : “ A history of New York”, “ A tour
of the prairies”, “Rip van winkle”
Awards and honors : Hall of fame (1900)
 Literary Career He is best known as the first American
to make a living by solely writing.
 He is known as the father of the American short story.
He is known for the comical satire of his short stories.
 He is still known as the best American figure in
literature both here and abroad.

6. "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" is a short story written by
American author Washington Irving and first published in
1820. The story is set in the village of Sleepy Hollow, New
York, in the late 18th century, and follows the schoolteacher
Ichabod Crane as he becomes entangled in the local legend
of a headless horseman.
The story has become a classic of American literature and
has been adapted into numerous plays, films, and
television shows. It has also been analyzed and interpreted
in a variety of ways, with scholars exploring themes such
as the tension between rationality and superstition, the
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

7. Lessons that can be drawn from the story include
the danger of obsession and the consequences of
letting one's imagination run wild. The story also
highlights the dangers of taking rumors and
legends too seriously, and the importance of
critical thinking and rationality in the face of fear
and uncertainty. Additionally, "The Legend of
Sleepy Hollow" can be seen as a commentary on
the cultural divide between rural and urban
America, and the tensions that arise when these
worlds collide.

8. Irving was particularly good at short-form
writing that consisted of humor and satire
which he published in literary
articlesFought in the War of 1812 and
shortly after, returned to England for two
decades to help his family salvage their
damagesIrving's story "Rip Van Winkle" was
inspired by a stay at his sister's home in
England.Later in life, shifted focus of
Interesting facts

9. The theme of "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" by
Washington Irving is the power of superstition and
the fear of the unknown. The story takes place in a
small town in New York State, where the residents
are deeply entrenched in their beliefs in ghosts,
witches, and other supernatural phenomena. The
protagonist, Ichabod Crane, is a superstitious
schoolteacher who becomes obsessed with the
legend of the Headless Horseman, a ghost who is
said to haunt the area.

10. Through Ichabod's experiences, Irving explores the ways in
which superstition and fear can shape our perceptions and
behaviors. Ichabod's fear of the Headless Horseman leads
him to imagine all sorts of horrors and eventually to a
terrifying encounter with the ghost. In the end, it is left
unclear whether the Headless Horseman was real or just a
product of Ichabod's imagination, but the story leaves no
doubt that the power of superstition can be overwhelming
and all-consuming.

11. Another theme of the story is the contrast between
the rational and the irrational, with Ichabod
representing the former and the townspeople and
the legend of the Headless Horseman representing
the latter. Through Ichabod's character, Irving
suggests that reason and logic are essential for
navigating the complexities of life, but that they
are not always sufficient to protect us from the
darker aspects of human nature and the unknown.

12. Overall Irving’s contributions to the American short stories genre cannot be
overstated. His innovative use of character, setting, and style helped to
establish
the from as a significant literary genre, and his influence can be seen in the
work of many later American writers. Irving’s pioneering effort in the field of
short fiction helped to set the stage for the development of American literature.